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Nicholson Trailer


suzook12

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Ok, just acquired a Nicholson 1800kg trailer for the latest boat. It needs a little bit of love but pretty healthy.

I thought I was going to have to replace the wheels as it has 12" on it, usually 14" for that weight on a single axle, but other than replacing the tyres and a new wheel for a spare, we're good.

Will be replacing the keel rollers as gone hard, and 42ft of bunks needs recarpeting. As it has stood for some time, it will also want the brakes stripping and cleaning, the hitch end needs a new gaitor and lubing up. It also needs some lights sorting and a new winch.

No pics at the moment, battery was flat, but a bit to be getting on with. I will be over there some time during the week as want to get the axle positioned somewhere near right before putting the boat on also, so will post up some pics then.....

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13 hours ago, suzook12 said:

Ok, just acquired a Nicholson 1800kg trailer for the latest boat. It needs a little bit of love but pretty healthy.

I thought I was going to have to replace the wheels as it has 12" on it, usually 14" for that weight on a single axle, but other than replacing the tyres and a new wheel for a spare, we're good.

Will be replacing the keel rollers as gone hard, and 42ft of bunks needs recarpeting. As it has stood for some time, it will also want the brakes stripping and cleaning, the hitch end needs a new gaitor and lubing up. It also needs some lights sorting and a new winch.

No pics at the moment, battery was flat, but a bit to be getting on with. I will be over there some time during the week as want to get the axle positioned somewhere near right before putting the boat on also, so will post up some pics then.....

Steve, I'm pretty sure I've got an as new trailer light board floating about at home if you want it?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ok, so today was the day to make a start on the trailer.

Landed over my mates with a couple of trolley jacks, got both sides jacked up, and off to the tyre guys to fit the new tyres. 20240803_165016.thumb.jpg.f9f32308e04ee4b29fc08eb9b71e0e6d.jpg

As you can see, max load 900kg. I would like to go higher, my thinking is that weight transfers from side to side with cornering, so both tyres should be able to withstand full load..... Maybe that is already factored in, I don't know, but for now this is what we have.....

Next I started on removing the bunks, and once they were off, started removing the old rollers. These were initially on riser blocks, but I removed those, at least for now.....

20240803_165232.thumb.jpg.020cba33f8ac098808fcd68547c65a1c.jpg

I have fitted the new rollers temporarily, as all the pins are bent, so will order some 19mm EN8 and make some new ones......

20240803_164959.thumb.jpg.f912b59349809abe22f4259ecdae3883.jpg

Now, cleverly I ordered 6 new rollers instead of 7, and 5 came! So have to order 2 more, and at the front there is a 5", so will replace that also, and 2 snubber rollers.

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I also decided I wasn't happy with the castor rollers, so they will get replaced also.

After that, it just left the winch and winch strap.

20240803_165157.thumb.jpg.7a8c7ab5d34f1829f12556081a243172.jpg

It was at this point the decision was taken to retire for tea!

I need to get some glue for the bunk carpets, then can start the carpeting process and get those refitted with new bolts. Don't know whether to go for evostik or sticks like sh*t.... We will see.

Will make a decision in the morning, have to go pick some sealer up so get both at same time....

The trailer looks to have been modded for height, with the roller blocks, and also packers between the chassis and axle. I feel this should probably have 16" wheels, but that would involve new hubs as the bolt pattern is now obsolete.....

Like the boat, what started out as a cheapie, is fast racking up, with the current shopping basket, plus the bits already bout, we are over £500 already, so the trailer is coming in at £1300 so far...... As yet, I still have to finish the boat, service the engine and probably reprop it. I envisage being around £3k all in..... Had I had turned up a shetland alaska for that sort of money, this wouldn't be here but half the fun is the project eh.....

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The costs soon get away from what you first imagine to what the end job actually ends up at, I keep looking at the new boats I could of bought at the cost of what Ive put into the one I have now 🤑

With this bigger wheels and the design of it, you might find yourself having to back the tow vehicle quite far into the water, which can often be the most slippery part of any ramp depending on the ramp angle. I always like 13in wheels and a low set trailer so I can keep my vehicle out of the water. I also helps in regards to handling with it set lower to the road on the distances I tow. 

Im enjoying the progress posts, like you I love tinkering around with boats. Shame you weren't closer so I could offload a heap of the trailer parts Ive gathered over the years. I just stripped all the running parts off my old one and dropped the frame at the local tip, id also bought new parts to rebuild it but decided a new trailer was far more cost effective. 

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9 hours ago, JDP said:

The costs soon get away from what you first imagine to what the end job actually ends up at, I keep looking at the new boats I could of bought at the cost of what Ive put into the one I have now 🤑

With this bigger wheels and the design of it, you might find yourself having to back the tow vehicle quite far into the water, which can often be the most slippery part of any ramp depending on the ramp angle. I always like 13in wheels and a low set trailer so I can keep my vehicle out of the water. I also helps in regards to handling with it set lower to the road on the distances I tow. 

Im enjoying the progress posts, like you I love tinkering around with boats. Shame you weren't closer so I could offload a heap of the trailer parts Ive gathered over the years. I just stripped all the running parts off my old one and dropped the frame at the local tip, id also bought new parts to rebuild it but decided a new trailer was far more cost effective. 

Hi Jon, yeah prices have gone up massively too since I last did a trailer....

In this case, bigger wheels would make no difference, as the trailer has been raised with packers under the chassis and risers for the rollers (now removed). I will wait until boat is actually on the trailer and see where we are at. I also like a trailer as low slung as possible. My L200 also has a high tow bar, so will need to make sure I have enough clearance at the rear with boat and engine on....

Yeah, it is a shame, I seem to collect everybody elses left overs lol. In your scenario, for me the welder would have been out and made/repaired to rebuild, I may even get round to building a trailer from scratch as I keep threatening to do. Galv plating is quite cheap so all doable, but the cost of axles, hitches and stuff is quite scary at the moment.

Steve

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As yet I also have to choose some LED lighting to fit to this. I fitted LED lighting to my flat bed trailer and have been well impressed with that, 2-3 years in and no lighting failures!! Obviously for this trailer, they will be dunked so have to take that into account also..... So good quality units, no ebay chinesium......

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Box of rollers and bits turned up today, 2 3M lengths of EN8 bar turning up tomorrow, so little bit of cutting and machining to do ready for the weekend, Just gotta get some split pins and good to go...... 2 tubes of gorilla glue stuff sat in truck also ready to get bunk carpets on, measure up for some new bolts and we're cooking on gas!! Once the trailer is back, will strip and clean the brakes. Need to order some long strops for the lift now......

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  • 2 weeks later...

Okay, so work got in the way a bit...... Had 2 x 3m lenghts of 19mm od EN8 bar turn up, slightly later than olanned, but set to cutting the lengths required, facing and chamfering on the lathe and drilling on the mill. Hopefully Thurs will be over to get them fitted with the new rollers. Will get a box of Stasinless split pins I think, and some new washers, 20mm will be close enough. For the snubbers, I want to do something slightly different, so need to measure up for those. Hopefully by end of next week, it will be ready to have a boat lifted on. Need to order some strops and make some spreader bars. Getting there!!

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